The Joining of Ice and Bone
by King Hawke
Summary: Instead of attacking the Mist village, Kimimaro meets Zabuza/Haku, like in the show, only he joins them.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto verse.

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His breath is visible in the crisp morning air. Thoughts of murder flood his mind with a few of doubt mixed in. He pushes his platinum blonde hair back over his shoulder with a single bone knife in his hand.

Ahead of him are two travelers: a masked man with a huge sword and a small boy. The boy stops short of them and inquires as nicely as he can, "Do you come from the Mist village?"

"No," the masked swordsman replies flatly.

The bone wielding boy smiles gratefully, "Oh, sorry." He starts to run past when his eyes connect with the eyes of the other boy. The boy looks up at his master and whispers, "Master Zabuza, his eyes are like mine."

Zabuza halts and considers the thought momentarily. After a few seconds, he turns to the blonde young man who is about to rush to the mist village. "Boy!" he calls. "Why are you going to the Mist village?"

He stops and glances over his shoulder, clenching his knife tightly. "I am going to wipe out the village."

Zabuza sighs, "Boy, I just escaped from that village. There is no way that you will be able to survive. You and whoever you are attacking with are going to die."

The boy hesitates than answers, "If I'm not going to attack the village, what will I do? I have no purpose but to attack them."

The master swordsman glances at his companion and a hint of a smile appears beneath his bandaged face. "Come with us. I will give you a purpose," he offers.

The small boy next to him says hesitantly, "You will never be alone again."

The knife wielding boy thinks about it for a few seconds. "I'll join you, if you can give me a purpose."

"Than come. We should leave before the Hunter nin catch up, though I have a feeling with your friends attacking, we have some time," Zabuza states. He turns and starts to walk away. "Come, Haku."

The boy slides his knife into his belt and runs to catch up with them. Haku looks at the other boy shyly, "What is your name?"

"Kimimaro. What's yours?" the blonde replies amiably.

"I-I'm Haku," the other boy smiles. "Master Zabuza took me in off the streets. He said he's going to teach me how to fight!"

Kimimaro grins, "I already know how to fight. I am the best fighter there is!"

Zabuza raises an eyebrow and answers, "Than you two will be very useful. Let's hurry. I can hear their war hoops from here." He breaks into a jog. The two boys quickly rush after him, glad to finally have somewhere that they can belong.

Kimimaro asks as he runs beside Haku, "Why were you on the streets?"

"I can control water. My daddy tried to kill me and killed my mom. I used my powers to protect myself and I had to run away or the villagers would kill me," Haku replies sadly, tears starting to well up in his eyes.

"Really?" Kimimaro says excitedly. "I can control bones!" He shoots a finger bullet into a nearby tree, sending splinters flying when it flies through the tree and into the next one.

Haku smiles happily, "I can do that, only with water."

Zabuza silently listens to them, occasionally calling for them to keep up. Kimimaro whispers to Haku, "So you're family is dead?" When he receives a nod, he inquires, "Do you want to be my brother? I don't have a family either."

"I would like that," Haku says with one of his rare smiles.

Zabuza chuckles and thinks, 'Brothers, huh? They will be the best ninja the Mist has ever seen! They might even surpass me someday as one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist.'

"Hey! Master Zabuza, can I get a cool sword like yours someday?" Kimimaro calls to him.

Zabuza laughs and retorts, "Yeah, you can get a cool sword like me someday. Both of you can!" The two boys smile happily at the news.

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R&R! The more reviews a story gets, the more I write.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

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On a Boat in the Ocean near the Land of Waves:

Zabuza watches the foggy waters cautiously. "Master Zabuza, what are we doing here?" Haku inquires.

Zabuza sighs, "We're guarding this transport to the Land of Waves. I need the money."

Kimimaro grins, "Does that mean we're going to fight?"

His new brother stares at him in surprise, "You like fighting?"

"Of course not," Kimimaro states flatly. "But…You're going to laugh at me if I tell you…"

"No I won't!" Haku exclaims quickly. Zabuza ignores them to focus on any possible enemies approaching.

Kimimaro twiddles his thumbs reluctantly and murmurs, "I just like to dance."

"Dance?" Haku says in confusion.

"Yeah," he replies quietly. "When I fight, I spin and dance…I feel so alive!"

Zabuza snorts, "That's the first time that I've ever heard of fighting described as dancing."

Haku pats the bone boy on the back, "It's okay, I understand, Kimi. I like bunnies!"

"Bunnies?" Zabuza and Kimimaro say incredulously.

"What's wrong with bunnies?" Haku says defensively. "They're so cute and warm and fuzzy."

Zabuza murmurs, "I knew this one girl named Anya…you should meet her. She'd tell you a thing or two about bunnies."

Haku tilts his head curiously when his eyes widen. "Master Zabuza, there's something in the water!"

The water explodes out and Zabuza's Zanpaktou collides with the heavy blade of the Shark Skin. "What are you doing here, Kisame?" grunts Zabuza.

The shark-like man grins, "Ah, Zabuza, I was wondering when we'd meet again. I heard you went after the Mizukage."

"Get your bloody sword off of me, you stupid sushi platter!" Zabuza shouts.

When Kisame doesn't pull his sword back, he notices hundreds of sharp icicles surrounding him, pointing at his vital spots. The blue-skinned man glances over his shoulder to see Haku with his hand raised and a dark frown plastered on his face. "Get away from Master Zabuza, fishy."

"Who are you calling a fish?" Kisame growls menacingly.

A blur flies through the air and lands on his wide shoulders. He stares up at a long white sword touching his nose. "We were, fish-face," Kimimaro smirks. "Whatcha' going to do about it?"

Kisame flares his chakra but wisely decides not to move when he feels Zabuza's blade past his own and against his throat. "Are these yours, Zabuza?" Kisame grunts.

Zabuza grins and pushes against his throat, making it trickle blood. "Yeah, they're mine."

"My employer didn't mention that you were going to be guarding the cargo," Kisame growls.

Zabuza rolls his eyes, "Do you honestly think anyone could tell where I am, let alone what I am guarding?"

"Good point," Kisame admits. He takes a step back, causing Kimimaro to lose his balance. The fish-man snatches his foot out of the air and dangles it in front of the other Swordsman. "I don't like kids. Where did you find these?"

"None of your business, tuna," Kimimaro grunts, stabbing Kisame's hand with his bone blade.

He shouts and releases the boy. "You little…" He jumps straight up as the icicles collide below him. "What on earth?" he roars. Zabuza meets him in the air, pushing him back.

"Sorry, Kisame, but you won't be fulfilling your contract today," Zabuza says coldly.

They land and Kisame pushes back hard, "We'll see about that, Mask!"

"They're bandages," Zabuza grunts, sliding back a few inches. "Not a mask."

A small wave of water sloshes onto the boat, causing Haku to grin happily. The water twirls around him and floats into the air. He laughs and makes it spin faster. He notices his master's plight and yells, "Leave!" The water forms into a water dragon and launches at him, Haku right behind it with a long ice blade.

The large missing nin launches three water sharks at Zabuza, who blocks and slices through them expertly, having sparred with him many times before. Zabuza quickly does hand signs and whispers, "Hidden Mist Jutsu." A thick mist covers the boat. Kisame kneels and closes his eyes to listen.

Kimimaro slides between Zabuza's legs and stabs Kisame in the gut. "Haha! Got you, fishy!" he proclaims. Kisame hears the sliding and feels his bone sword. He snarls and kicks him in the chest, only to have his foot caught in a bone rib trap. "Sorry, reflexes," smirks Kimimaro. His smirk fades and the bone cage snaps close, severing Kisame's foot. He hops backwards, barely dodging Zabuza's blade.

He hears a watery roar behind him. Kisame turns around just in time to see the largest water dragon he has seen in his life pounce on him. He blocks it with the Shark Skin, the blade absorbing most of the chakra and impact. His eyes widen when a long icicle pierces through the mouth of the water dragon and stabs his shoulder. Kisame grunts and slaps the kid away.

Kisame glances at the apparently dangerous trio and growls, "I'll get you for this!" He jumps backwards into the water and swims away. The mist starts to dissipate.

Haku starts to run for the boat's edge when Zabuza states, "Stop, Haku! He has the advantage in water! He has gills and can breathe underwater. He would kill all of us."

The boat shudders and a loud cracking sound echoes throughout the ship. "Oh frack," Zabuza groans. "He didn't." A loud rushing of water meets his ears. "He did."

Haku senses the water and runs into the ship's hold to find two sloppy gashes in the ship's hull. He holds up his hands and the water stops short of the stairs to the deck. "Get back," he grunts, pushing it back slowly. A cold sweat breaks out on his forehead. "I said get back," he whispers, forcing the water to retreat back into the ocean. "And stay out," he gasps as the holes are sealed by a thick layer of ice. Kimimaro lands beside him just in time to catch his unconscious body. Zabuza hops down and sees the ice patches.

"Wow," he murmurs. "This kid's good!"

Kimimaro asks with concern, "Is Haku alright?"

Zabuza glances down at him and heads back for the upper deck, "Yeah, he's just tired. Both of you go rest. Kisame won't be back today."

"Who was he?" Haku asks curiously.

Zabuza glances at him, "Kisame is one of the other Seven Swordsmen of the Mist."

Kimimaro exclaims, "I'm going to be better than all the Swordsmen someday!"

The missing nin chuckles and ruffles his silver hair, "You will, Kimi. You will."

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	3. Chapter 3

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Disclaimer: see chapter 1

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_After the Boat Mission Is Completed:_

The swordsman and his subordinates collect their pay and head off into the forest on land. They stop to rest and eat dinner. After they finish, Zabuza looks over the two young men sitting on the ground before him. "That mission made me realize something. Though you two performed very well against Kisame, you two need to learn jutsu in order to be of real use to me," Zabuza states.

Kimimaro glares at him, "Stuff like this?" He shoots a finger bullet at the swordsman, who easily blocks it with his blade.

"If you find someone faster than you or able to dodge your bones, you're dead," Zabuza says firmly. "I am going to teach both of you techniques used by most ninja, than a few of my own."

Haku's eyes widen with excitement while Kimimaro simply leans forward to listen. Zabuza moves faster than they can see, than they notice that they are tied up with ropes. Kimimaro slices the ropes with his bones while Haku sits there helplessly. "Get out of them," Zabuza orders.

Haku struggles against the ropes and frowns, "But I can't!"

"Rope escape technique. It is known to even the most unskilled of ninja," Zabuza explains. "It teaches you how to untie and escape ropes. I will also teach you how to pick locks without being noticed in case you are chained somewhere."

Kimimaro tilts his head curiously when Zabuza pulls a handful of chains from the bag next to him and ties the bone boy tightly. "Cut through them."

The bones stretch and grind against the chains but are unable to cut them. "How does this help me be a good fighter?" Kimimaro inquires, glaring at the chains.

Zabuza plants his sword into the ground in front of Kimimaro and crouches down to look him in the eye. "What good is a fighter, if you can't get free to fight? If I notice and somehow stop you from escaping, you cannot fight me or alongside me."

Kimimaro meets his cold gaze and calms down and examines the chains. Zabuza keeps watching him impassively. His bones jut out of his knees and slash at his master, causing the jonin to jump back and watch for any other tricks. While Zabuza watches his legs, the bone wielder drops a finger bone into his palm and carefully picks the locks behind his back. Zabuza dodges and blocks toe bone bullets and his spiked knees. Kimimaro finally picks the lock and pushes the chains off. Zabuza raises an eyebrow. "Not bad, Kimi," he comments. He turns to Haku who has slid the ropes off already. "How'd you manage that?"

Haku smiles brightly, "I made the ropes wet and they stretched."

"Clever," Zabuza smirks. "Now you're thinking like a ninja. The fact that we beat fish-face was sheer luck. We can't rely on that luck. Got that?" The boys nod. "Now, can you manipulate chakra at all?" When he receives blank stares, he clarifies, "Your inner mental and physical energy mixing into useful energy."

Haku opens their canteen and floats some water out into the air. He forms it into a handful of sebon and asks, "Like this?"

"Close. That is your bloodline, like Kimi's bones is his. We can't have you relying on bloodlines. No matter how good the bloodline is, there is always someone with a better one out there somewhere," Zabuza replies. "Hand me the needles." Haku gives him the needles. He forms a hand sign and his hand glows with blue chakra, melting the sebon and reforming them into a single blade. He drops the ice stake back into the canteen and gestures for them to follow him. The two boys follow him to a small lake.

"This is an example of a Jutsu, boys," he says. He goes through the hand signs very slowly so they can watch. "Water Style: Thousand Needles of Death!" Water rises from the lake, turning into a thousand ice needles. He sends them forward into a tree trunk, making it look like a pincushion. He glances at the boys who are staring in awe. "I'll teach you that one later. The first one I want you to learn is the Henge. You concentrate on the image you want to look like, and focus your chakra around your body to make the illusion that you are someone else."

Haku and Kimimaro close their eyes and focus. Kimimaro blasts off the ground into the air and lands hard on his back. "Focus on your whole body, not just on your feet," states Zabuza. Haku gulps and focuses harder, a light blue aura appearing around him. "Focus on looking like me," he says. Haku slowly opens his eyes and looks over Zabuza. His eyes glisten with determination. Kimimaro gets off the ground and focuses. Haku shimmers and fades away to be replaced by Zabuza with every detail perfect other than the sword.

Haku/Zabuza opens his eyes and smirks, "Got it."

"Where's the sword?" Zabuza inquires.

Haku/Zabuza folds his arms over his chest. "In the ground." Kimimaro scowls and focuses harder. He disappears and reappears as a muscle-bound Kisame, with his large sword.

"I told you to appear as me," Zabuza frowns.

Kimimaro/Kisame grunts, "Fine." His image shifts to Zabuza. "Better?"

"Good," Zabuza nods. "You got that down. First, I want you to focus that energy to your feet and walk up the side of the tree without any hands. Too much, and you blow off, as you have already demonstrated quite vividly. Too little, and you fall off. Begin."

Kimimaro runs up the tree, sticking most of the way up before slashing at the bark with his bone-covered fingertip and dropping to the ground. Haku slowly walks up the tree with his eyes closed. Kimimaro scowls more at being showed up and runs faster and reaches higher before blowing off. Haku makes it to the top and rests in the high branches.

Zabuza states, "Good, Haku! Very good. We just need to work on your chakra reserves. Kimi, you have good chakra control for your amount of chakra, just fine tune it and it will be deadly." He tilts his head curiously, "What did you slash the bark with?" Kimimaro holds up his hand, showing a piece of bone barely piercing his fingertip. "Can you do that with all your fingers, without them falling out?"

Kimimaro frowns and watches his hands, slowly making the bones poke through his fingertips to make cat-like claws. He slashes at the tree, leaving claw marks. "Yeah, but they wear out fast," Kimimaro answers.

"You can control your bone growth right?" the swordsman inquires. When he receives a nod, he continues, "Can you control where you grow bones?" At another nod, he finishes, "And can you make them merge together before pulling them out?" Kimimaro nods again. "Excellent," Zabuza grins. "Think of weapons and ways that you can use that to your advantage. I want to see a new weapon or idea once a week."

"Yes, Master Zabuza," Kimimaro says. Haku walks down the tree and rests for awhile next to his adopted brother while Kimimaro experiments with how many far he can make his finger bones grow before they fall out and how sharp they can be made. Haku watches him and gets an idea. He lifts a handful of water from the lake and tries to make it into gloves.

The gloves manage to stay firmly around his hands and turn into ice. "Got it!" Haku exclaims happily.

Kimimaro smiles, "Yeah, you got it, but now try to do a hand sign." Haku's smile slowly turns to a frown as he tries to move his fingers.

Zabuza chuckles and whispers to himself, "We have a long way to go." Louder, he says, "Okay, keep practicing tomorrow. We're going to sleep. I'll keep watch for the first few hours, than we'll alternate." The boys acknowledge his order before lying down to sleep.

Haku whispers to Zabuza, "Master Zabuza, where are we going tomorrow?"

Zabuza glances at him, "We'll visit an old friend of mine. I want to get a checkup on you two to make sure that you're healthy. I can't have sick people traveling around with me with hunter nin after us." Haku crosses his fingers and prays that he doesn't have anything wrong with him. He doubts he can survive being left behind by Master Zabuza after losing his mother. Kimimaro frowns and rolls over to think about his progress so far.

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Read and Review! I'm doing my best with Kimimaro, Haku, and Zabuza, but there isn't much information on any of them to work with.

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	4. Chapter 4

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Disclaimer: I don't know the Narutoverse or anything in it.

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"Keep up!" Zabuza calls behind him. Kimimaro grunts and encases his feet in sharp bone to grip the icy ground better. Haku easily glides along the ice and summons up a whirlwind of snow around him.

Kimimaro whispers, "Showoff." He catches up with them and sighs, "Are we almost there, Master Zabuza?"

"Yeah, almost," he replies.

Haku smiles widely, "So who is the person we're going to meet? Is he an old friend of yours?"

"No SHE isn't, but she treats anyone, no matter how questionable their profession," Zabuza states. The missing nin points up the snowy hill they are climbing to a small house. They finally reach the top and the tall man knocks on the door.

A woman with long dark hair answers it. "Yes? Can I help you?"

"You're the woman who gives free medical checkups?" Zabuza inquires.

She nods and smiles, "Come on in." She wraps blankets around the two boys and glances at Zabuza's scarred forehead protector. "Who do you want me to examine?"

"The boys," Zabuza states. "I'll pay you for your work."

The woman shakes her head quickly, "No need! I never go into towns to buy food anyways. I grow my own food and can make my own tools." Zabuza frowns under his mask but leans back onto a chair and rests his eyes.

She smiles at Haku, "Just relax and don't move; I won't hurt you." Her hand glows green and she slowly moves her hand over Haku's body. After a scan, she smiles wider, "You're a healthy young man! You are going to be a lady killer when you get older."

Haku frowns slightly, "I hope not."

Kimimaro sighs, "She didn't mean literally! It's my turn, right?" He lets his shirt fall off his shoulders and the belt holds everything on. She chuckles when he tries to flex his muscles to try to impress her.

She laughs, "Come back in a few years and try that again, and I just might give you a more thorough examination." He blushes and allows her to begin her scan. She slowly scans his body.

Frowning, she turns to Zabuza, "This boy has lung cancer. I can remove the infected part of the lung before it reaches the heart because it is in its beginning stages. However, I'll need your permission."

Zabuza sits up and frowns darkly, "How long will it take to heal?"

"I wouldn't advise any strenuous activities for a month after the surgery. Do I have permission?" she advises.

Zabuza nods to Kimimaro and responds, "You have permission. If he dies, you will too."

"I understand," the woman says quietly. She places her palm on Kimimaro's head and he slumps over unconscious. She writes out a small seal on a paper and slaps it onto his forehead to keep him unconscious. She takes out her tool kit of scalpels and a basin to wash her hands and the tools in.

Haku offers, "I can control water. I can make it so he doesn't bleed too much."

She smiles gratefully, "That will help a lot. Just control the water and make sure that I can see what I'm working on." He nods quickly and frowns in concentration. She neatly slices open Kimimaro's chest and bisects one of the ribs to get a clearer view of his infected lung. She grabs a handful of small sebon needles and pins open his chest. Haku controls the bleeding, causing most of it either to stay in the body or to go onto the towels laid out. The woman slices open part of Kimimaro's lung and cuts out the cancerous section. He gasps as his body tries to compensate. She sends a burst of chakra into his lung to simulate air going through it normally. His body calms down and continues working normally. The woman sets the cancerous tissue aside and scans for any more traces of it. She scrapes off the remains of the cancer until she is positive that he is completely cancer free.

Zabuza leans over her and watches intently, his hand resting on his large sword's hilt. She carefully sews the lung back together and seals the seams with a chakra scalpel. The woman connects the rib and watches with surprise as it heals itself. She unpins and sews the chest closed. She cauterizes it with the chakra scalpel and wipes her forehead. She cleans off her hands and metal scalpel tiredly. She smiles up at Haku, "You did well. Your friend will be just fine if he gets enough rest."

Zabuza murmurs, "Thank you, miss. I owe you one. Do you have a name?"

She glances over her shoulder at him, "I go by the name Rin. Do you have a name?"

"Zabuza," he states. "Why do you ask?"

She smiles slightly, "Zabuza, eh? That's a nice name. I can keep your friend here for the next month and you can come back and pick him up then."

"I am not leaving him behind," Zabuza growls. Haku nods emphatically, an ice blade forming in the water basin.

Rin smiles and nods understandingly, "Very well then. If you are going to be out doing who knows what, I am coming along to make sure he gets enough rest. Otherwise, his stitches will come out and you'll have an even bigger mess on your hands."

Haku relaxes a little and asks, "What about your house? Don't people come to you for help?"

Rin ruffles his hair and laughs, "Sometimes, they do, but I have an assistant who is more than qualified to take over for me. She can take over my work, and I will travel with you. From the looks of that forehead protector, you could use someone good with the healing arts."

Zabuza gives her a cursory glance over, "You're nothing more than a tool to me. Got it?"

She smirks knowingly, "Understood, _Master_ Zabuza." She removes the seal from Kimimaro's forehead and starts packing her things.

An hour or two later, Kimimaro starts to wake up. "What happened?" he groans, trying to sit up in bed. His master pushes him down firmly back onto the bed.

"You just had surgery! Good thing we decided to come here or you'd be dead in a few years!" Zabuza explains. "We got lucky."

Haku exclaims cheerfully, "And Miss Rin is going to be joining us as our medic ninja! She'll be able to heal us after battles like she did to your chest!"

Kimimaro examines his chest and growls, "Stand back." His companions step back just in time to see Kimimaro's ribs jut out in all directions. He slowly pulls them back in and reconnects them. The chest's stitches burst in every direction, but the skin heals smoothly after the bone retracts back into the body.

"I'm from the Kaguya clan," Kimimaro explains to Rin, seeing her shocked expression. "Or at least I used to be. I heard they got wiped out."

Rin sets the table for four. "My apprentice arrives in the morning, so we can have dinner now and have some shelter for the night." Zabuza glances out the window and takes in all the surroundings, searching for any signs of Anbu.

"Fine. We'll stay the night," Zabuza replies. "Haku, Kimimaro, she's part of our team now. I expect you to treat her with respect for healing you."

Haku and Kimimaro chime, "Yes, Master Zabuza!"

Rin serves steamed vegetables and fish to each of her new companions. "Eat up!"

"She can cook too!" Kimimaro proclaims, staring at her in awe.

Zabuza growls, "So we can get some decent food. Eat while it's hot." He digs into the food, leaving the two boys to laugh and start eating.

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	5. Chapter 5

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Disclaimer: See previous disclaimers

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_One Month Later: _

"What are you doing, Kimimaro?" inquires the resident medic curiously while they hike across the frozen countryside.

The platinum blonde boy spares her a glance and holds up his hands. "I think I have a new weapon to show Master Zabuza." The missing nin looks over at him curiously. The natural fog from the ocean clouds their trek over the land.

"Show me," Zabuza states. The boy frowns with concentration and a long, sharp bone claw sprouts out from each knuckle. "Very impressive. How is your jutsu coming along?"

Kimimaro flashes some hand signs and holds his hands firmly in the last position. He breathes, "Mist Clone Jutsu!" The surrounding fog in the air forms into a solid water copy of Kimimaro.

Haku claps his hands supportively and says, "Good job, Kimi! Master Zabuza, may I show the jutsu that I've mastered?"

"Of course," Zabuza answers. He raises a nonexistent eyebrow in surprise when the fog thickens and he hears the words "Hidden Mist Jutsu". He says slowly, "With your abilities, you've probably mastered all of the mist jutsu by now."

"Yes, sir!" Haku says quickly. "But, I feel most natural using the ice mirrors. They're really useful for checking cleaning up after fights!"

Despite the fog, a bright green blade seems to glow before slicing away at the fog, dispelling it. Rin lowers the amount of chakra in the chakra-made scalpel around her hand and smirks. "Good job, boys. Just don't overexert yourselves. We still have a long way to go before we reach our next destination."

"Who's our employer this time, Master Zabuza?" Kimimaro inquires. The fog thins out to its normal density when Haku releases the jutsu.

Zabuza sighs, "Gato. I don't want to hear any complaints. We need the money." Rin frowns darkly but continues walking in silence.

Haku frowns slightly and comments quietly, "Master, isn't he known for hiring missing ninja and killing them before they are paid? He has done that for several people we have met over the years."

"Kimi, when we get there, make sure that Gato isn't pulling any tricks. If he is, kill him and we'll take all of his money," Zabuza commands coldly. He pulls down his bandages and looks over at Rin. "When we get into town, buy some water-rebreathers. It should come in handy." The medic nods. "You're awfully quiet, Medic. Speak up," Zabuza states.

Rin tightens her ponytail and replies, "Gato is scum, but I can live with it. What is he paying us to do? You haven't gotten to that part yet."

Zabuza pulls his bandages back up over his face. "We're going to kill a bridge builder that's trying to connect the Land of Waves with the mainland. It should be a pretty easy job, in and out. We might be facing some ninja, though I doubt they can pay for anyone worthy of our skills."

"I'll be there to heal you up if you get cocky," she responds. She steps over a rock and checks her backpack to make sure she has everything. "When does the mission start?"

"The Land of Waves is a month's journey no matter how fast we travel. The snow should be mostly melted by then. We'll take a boat or two to get there and kill the boatsmen after we cross so nobody knows we're there," explains the swordsman.

Haku walks forward next to his brother while staring at the ground. "Oh! A bunny!" He quickly rushes forward and tries to grab it. The white rabbit hops out of his reach and twitches its nose at him. Haku smiles amiably and pulls out a carrot from his backpack.

"That's your rations you're wasting," Kimimaro informs him. "It's not as if we can keep him even if you can catch him."

Haku makes the snow melt and lift the bunny into the air. The rabbit tries to hop through the water around its legs, but finds it is unable to make contact with anything solid to push off. "Come here, little bunny," Haku coos, completely ignoring his brother. He lets the water splash onto the ground and holds the bunny close in his arms. He holds the carrot close to the rabbit and waits. Rin watches with interest. The bunny sniffs the carrot and hesitantly takes a nip of it. After satisfied that it isn't worth the trouble to try to escape due to the firm grip of the youngster and a very visible senbon needle pressing against its neck, it simply nibbles away on the vegetable. Haku smiles happily and looks up at his master. "Can I keep it, pretty please, Master Zabuza?"

Rin whispers to him, "We could use it for substitution or for delivering messages. Let him have his pet."

Zabuza smiles slightly under his bandages and nods. "You can keep your rabbit, but make it a ninja bunny. I have no use for an animal that simply is a drain on our limited resources without having any real use."

"Don't worry, Master Zabuza," Haku says excitedly while feeding the bunny more of the carrot. "He'll be the best ninja bunny ever!" He thinks for a moment before turning to his big sister. "What should I name him?"

"Fluffy!" Rin smiles. "He's a cute ball of fur."

The bone-wielding boy scowls, "That's not a good name for such a little ninja bunny! Haku, you should name him Icey Thumper! He made a thump sound when he fell on the ice to get away from you."

"Fluffy Thumper! Thumper or FT for short!" Haku says. He holds up the bunny and rubs his nose against its tiny nose excitedly. "You're Fluffy Thumper. Do you like that name, little guy?"

The bunny stares blankly at the youth and continues nibbling on his carrot. "Then Fluffy Thumper it is," Zabuza sighs. "Fluffy…not surprising."

Rin nudges him playfully. "You're just jealous because he didn't ask for your advice first."

"Leave me alone, woman," he scowls.

She smirks, "You know you like it."

"Whatever," he grumbles. "Haku, put the rodent away. You can train it on your own time."

"Yes, sir," Haku says quietly. He sets his backpack on the ground and the others stop to see what he is doing. He unzips an empty pouch and stuffs some paper in it to keep any messes from ruining the pack. He sticks the bunny and the carrot into the pouch and zips it up so that the bunny can see outside, but not enough for it to escape. He picks up the backpack and jogs back up with the group. "Ready, Master Zabuza."

Zabuza nods and states, "We're picking up the pace. Let's go." The four black and gray blurs dart across the tundra and onward to the next town.

_In the Town: _

Zabuza looks over his companions. "Rin, restock on medical supplies. Haku and Kimimaro, restock on weapons and food. I'll go find some place for us to stay for a night. Meet me at the Short Stay Inn." He gives them each a small bag of coins to accomplish each of their tasks. They all nod and go off in different directions, with the exception of the two brothers staying together.

The swordsman wanders into the very run down inn that he mentioned to the others. "What kinda rooms are you lookin' for?" the man at the desk asks while leaning back in his tattered chair, cleaning his teeth with a toothpick. His crooked glasses and messy hair gives the impression of either complete ineptitude as a worker or someone who doesn't care what he looks like.

"The kind that leaves me undisturbed for the night. Here's the payment," he swings his sword down on the desk, cleaving it in half easily. The table creaks and the two halves lean against each other, barely holding itself up. He drops a small bag of coins onto the counter.

The man gulps and nods quickly, "Don't worry, sir! Our inn has a policy of not asking any questions and making sure our guests are happy!"

"There will be two boys and a woman. Tell them that Zabuza is in his room." The missing nin pulls a key from its place and glances at the number. "Room number 32. Got it?" Zabuza inquires in a menacing voice. When the desk clerk nods quickly, Zabuza removes his blade from the desk and walks away to find his room. The man sighs with relief that he is still alive and puts on a tablecloth to hide the deep gouge from other customers.

An hour or two later, the others show up. "Room 32," the man says quickly. Haku bows politely and smiles before heading towards the room. Kimimaro smirks when he notices the tilting table edges and Rin merely walks straight to the room where they find Zabuza sleeping with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Nighty night, Master Zabuza," Kimimaro calls before climbing into his bed. Haku lays in bed next to his brother and quickly falls asleep. Rin smiles at the two boys sleeping before she climbs into bed next to Zabuza. She snuggles against his side and relaxes.

Zabuza whispers, "What are you doing, medic?"

Rin pokes his ribs and mutters, "Be quiet and sleep, swordsman." He raises a nonexistent eyebrow but decides to let her be until morning. He yawns and falls into a light sleep, ready for any trespassers.

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	6. Chapter 6

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Disclaimer: See previous chapters

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_Two Weeks Later: _

The tall bandaged swordsman leans against a tree and softly runs his fingers along the length of his metallic sword. "That's a good girl," he murmurs. "You've been very strong for me, haven't you?"

"Master Zabuza, talking to inanimate objects is a sign of mental instability," Rin comments with a smirk from below him. She is sitting at the trunk of the tree, looking up at his perk on the branch. Kimimaro shakes his head and continues eating his lunch. Haku chuckles and continues to eat while watching the exchange.

Zabuza glares down at her, "Shut up, medic! You know nothing about swords until you have one yourself!"

"Speaking of which, Master Zabuza, didn't you promise to get us both big swords like yours?" Kimimaro asks respectfully. "Or should we wait till after this mission for swords of our own?" Haku quickly looks up at him with a hopeful smile.

Zabuza opens his mouth to say no, but he catches a glimpse of Haku and Kimimaro's excited eyes. He sighs and whispers loudly to Rin, "See what you get me into, woman!" Rin rolls her eyes and continues her meal. He looks up at the two boys. "Fine, I know a sword smith on the way. It's a detour, but we'll still be there on time. He'll find or make both of you swords that fit you. He made the swords of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. But, there's only one problem."

"What's that, Master Zabuza?" asks Haku, petting the bunny that is hidden inside his backpack.

"I uhhhh…well…" Zabuza frowns, scratching the back of his head distractedly.

Rin gazes up at him, "You tried to kill him, didn't you?"

"I did not!" Zabuza protests loudly. "He and I just don't get along very much."

"Yeah, you tried to kill him," she replies with a smile.

He growls down at her, "I did not try to kill him. He and I merely disagreed on my talent in swordsmanship. He told me to give it up, so I proved to him my skill. I was not trying to kill him."

"Sure you weren't," Rin snorts. She goes back to her meal, ignoring any more protests from him.

Haku and Kimimaro give each other high fives and finish up the last of their lunch rations hurriedly. Zabuza pulls his bandages down long enough to down an apple in a few bites.

_Two Days Later: _

The Mist trained missing nin leads the way downhill to a large stream. He performs the hand signs and shouts, "Water Style: Great Water Splitting Jutsu!" The river parts in half and holds itself open to reveal a large metal door. "Like we planned!" he calls out. Kimimaro and Rin jump into the riverbed and pull open the door. Haku climbs down the staircase part way and braces himself. Kimimaro and Rin move down the stairs past Haku and wait for Zabuza. The river collapses down its original path, but Haku forces the river around the door. The bandaged missing nin takes a few steps back and leaps into the river. He swims down the way towards them and Haku begins to sweat.

"Hurry," Haku whispers. Zabuza swims through the river like a fish and steps out of the water onto the stairs. He reaches out and slowly pulls the heavy metal doors close and nods to Haku. The young lad releases the torrent of water onto the closed door, breathing heavily.

Zabuza pats him on the back and grins. "I knew you could do it. Let's go meet the old goat." He walks past his tools and down the stairs. He does not miss Haku's beaming face. Rin smiles at Zabuza, proud that he's taking her positive reinforcement advice to heart, not that he would ever admit it of course.

They amble down the dark stone corridor slowly. Zabuza slowly draws his zanpakto and gestures for the boys and medic to get farther behind him in the narrow hallway. A finger pokes him on the shoulder, making him jump. "You didn't try to kill him?" Rin inquires with a wide knowing smirk.

Zabuza whispers loudly, "He might be holding a grudge!" He shakes off her finger and stalks forward cautiously.

A voice calls out from a dimly lit room at the end of the hall, "I told you to never come back. I told all of you Swordsmen of the Mist to never come back here, especially with others. You always were a slow learner, Zabuza."

"I don't like this any more than you, old man! I'm here so you can give my two pupils swords!" Zabuza responds loudly. Very slowly and cautiously, he takes a single step into the light with his sword ready. He leaps to the right and blocks a small knife. "Back off, you old goat!" he growls louder.

Kimimaro, Haku, and Rin hurry into the shadowy chamber and take up positions around the man. "He said back off," Haku commands coldly. "You will obey Master Zabuza now." The canteen at Haku's waist pops open and dozens of ice senbon needles form out of the water that spurts from its opening. Kimimaro has his bone claws out at the man's throat. Rin is on the other side of him with a chakra scalpel above a vital point on his neck.

"I see that you have picked up more companions. Give me one reason why I should not kill them all," the man says in a bored tone. The three tools of Zabuza take a moment to examine the person they are surrounding. The man has a long faded green cloak, a white beard, a mostly bald head, and a pair of pants that have holes worn in the knees.

Zabuza states while pushing against the toothpick of a blade, "I have use of them."

"The real reason, Zabuza," the man spits scornfully. "With a reason like that, I will slay them all to save them the trouble of following you to your death which you will quickly follow them into."

Haku frowns and tightens her fingers around the senbon, "Master, please give the order."

Zabuza glares at the man for a long moment and finally grinds out very quietly, "They are important to me."

"What was that, Demon of the Mist?" the man snaps, pushing Zabuza back a few inches with a single hand on the hilt of his knife.

Zabuza roars while pushing back hard, "They are important to me, you fossil!" He kicks at the man who smoothly nudges the kick aside with his knee and stomps hard on his remaining foot to cause him to fall to the ground. The younger swordsman does a back hand stand and kicks at the swords smith to make him back up.

"Someone important to you?" the swords smith chuckles. "I thought the day would never come. Yes, I will make them swords. But, they must not choose the swords. The swords must choose them. Boys, follow me. Woman, you and your master will remain here or I will kill you." Rin's chakra scalpel fades with a nod from Zabuza, but she remains on alert. Haku melts the senbon and moves it back into his canteen. Kimimaro shrinks the claws back into his knuckles but has the very tips of his fingers bone-covered in case of an emergency.

Haku bows politely to the swords smith. "As Master Zabuza commands, but you have yet to tell us your name, sir. I am Haku, loyal servant of Zabuza."

The swords smith spares him a brief glance. "When the sword accepts you, you shall learn my name. Not before. Follow." He spins on his heels and strides out deeper into the underground caverns. Kimimaro shrugs and walks after him, followed closely by Haku. "He's rude," whispers Haku.

Kimimaro gives him a strange look. "Your point?" Haku frowns and walks past him. The swords smith opens a large door and gestures inside.

"In this room is the storage place for my metals. Choose carefully. You choose only once. I will leave you inside until you have chosen. Knock on the door when you're done. I will wait outside to assure that there are no interruptions," the swords smith intones. The boys hesitantly step into the candle-lit room. The door slams shut behind them. The boys look around quickly and see the square sheets of metal decorating the walls, each of them a different color and density.

Kimimaro says reluctantly, "Well, it is quite colorful. Which one should I pick, Haku?"

The ice-wielding boy frowns and shrugs. "I don't know, Kimi, but I think that we have to decide on our own. Relax, sit down, and concentrate."

"Why?" Kimimaro asks with a raised eyebrow, pulling his shoulder-length blonde hair back behind his ears.

Haku glares at him, "Because this is for the swords for each of us individually!" He sits down cross-legged and relaxes. He focuses on the metals around him silently.

"What are you doing?" Kimimaro inquires, looking down at him. Haku ignores him and focuses harder. The platinum blonde asks a few more times but eventually gives up and sits down beside him. He blinks a few times and then focuses on the metals.

_Two Hours Later:_

The wooden door resounds with knocking noises. The swords smith opens the door and gazes down at the two boys. "Show me your choices," he orders in a solemn tone.

The boys hold up their metals. Haku's metal is light but wide. It is a swirled color of blue and white. Kimimaro's metal is heavier but of a snow white color. The man examines them with a longer glance then before. "They are acceptable," he announces with finality. He lifts the metal sheets from their grasps and opens a different door. He looks down at them. "Go attend to your master. I will rejoin you when I am finished with your swords." The boys bow quickly and stroll back to Zabuza and Rin.

Zabuza is leaning against the stone wall with his sword across his back. "He's making the sword?" he grunts. The boys nod. He smiles slightly under his bandages.

Rin glances at the fidgety boys and smiles understandingly. "Patience is crucial for the way of the ninja," she says. The boys sit down on the hard ground and stare impatiently down the hall. Haku plays with his hair while Kimimaro twirls a bone between his fingers.

_Five Very Restless Hours Later:_

"How long is he going to take?" Kimimaro groans. He leans back against the wall and stares at the ceiling, extremely bored. "This had better be the coolest sword ever." Haku pokes him on the shoulder. "What!" Kimimaro shouts irritably. Haku smiles at him uneasily and points. He follows the finger to the towering form of the swords smith.

The man holds out a dark blue sheathe to Haku with the blade in it and a black sheathe the size of his body to the other young ninja. They draw their blades carefully and examine them. Haku's sword is long and slender, as long as his arm, and swirled blue and white colors with a flexible long edge. The smooth handle fits perfectly in Haku's hand. He covers the hilt with both hands and smiles widely.

Kimimaro slowly unsheathes his blade and looks it up and down. He holds the sword with two hands and smiles slightly. "Wow," he murmurs under his breath. The blade is as long as the boy's body and half as thick. He lifts the blade slowly and holds straight up shakily. The handle appears to be made of bumpy bone while the rest of it is smooth and pure white. The blade's edge is jagged almost like the teeth of a saw. He slides it back into its sheath and straps it across his back. He bows to the swords smith out of gratitude and both of the boys look to Zabuza for his reaction.

He looks at the two boys and their swords for a long moment before nodding in acceptance and saying, "I'll teach you how to use them on the way. You will work on your swordsmanship instead of your jutsu for the remainder of this month. Understand?" They smile happily and nod. The renowned swordsman bows politely on the waist to the swords smith. "Thank you for this favor."

"I have a favor to ask in return," the swords smith states with a frown. Zabuza tilts his head curiously. The swords smith says, "Never return again unless it is to repair your swords."

Zabuza grins and answers, "Done. Let's go, boys, medic." They start to head back down the hallway.

Haku pauses and turns back to the swords smith who is watching them leave. "You told us that you'd tell us your name when we got our swords," he says as politely as he can. Kimimaro stops walking and waits for the answer.

The swords smith thinks about it for a long moment, as if he is recalling the memory. Finally, he calls back, "The name is Lance Karama. Do not damage your swords. I enjoy my solitude."

Zabuza mutters under his breath, "He enjoys his booze more."

"And his arrogance," Kimimaro snaps quietly.

Haku glances at the two guys and shrugs before following them down the hallway. Rin shakes her head and pats Haku and Kimimaro on the back, whispering how proud she is of their accomplishment of getting swords of their own.

_One Week Later:_

After some subtle nudging from the resident medic ninja, the missing nin's traveling party stops to rest. "Show me your progress on the katas I gave you," Zabuza grunts. Kimimaro pulls out his sword and moves into a series of short-range blocking stances that do not require very much movement of the oversized blade. "Your second block was sloppy and the fifth one had the wrong part of the blade doing the blocking. Work on that," Zabuza orders. Kimimaro nods, satisfied that he is doing most of it right in such a short period of time. "Once you have those blocking katas down, we'll move onto one swing kills. Haku, your turn."

The pale-skinned boy nods and draws his sword. He begins the kata moving very fluidly as if in water. The blade cuts through the air and slices at different levels to accommodate for people of different sizes. He spins on the balls of his feet and moves his blade in a spinning motion to block attacks from any direction, ending with the sword positioned directly above his head. He breathes heavily from moving the blade so much and looks to his master for approval. Zabuza nods slowly and comments, "The movements were flowing but you need to work on speed and force. You are still too gentle to use your sword for killing." Haku smiles a little and nods meekly.

Kimimaro slaps his adopted brother on the back supportively, "We're mercenaries, Haku. I have an idea of how to make you more…aggressive when using your sword."

"How?" Haku asks with a frown. "I don't like to kill."

Kimimaro smiles understandingly, "Well, we must kill for Master Zabuza, but I have a different motivation for you. Imagine that they are trying to kill Fluffy."

Haku's eyes narrow and fill with an icy rage. He whispers dangerously, "Nobody will harm Mr. Fluffy Thumper! They will die!"

Kimimaro smirks and takes a few steps back, "That's the spirit! Now…save that for when we actually fight someone. Nobody is trying to kill the rabbit right now." Haku's body slowly relaxes and Haku's eyes fade back to their normal kind selves.

Haku smiles at his brother, "Thank you, Kimi! That advice is most helpful."

Rin pulls Kimimaro aside and says quietly, "Leave Fluffy out of this or things will get messy."

Kimimaro responds with an innocent smile, "Isn't that what we want?" Rin gazes down at the boy, looks at Zabuza, looks at the boy again and sighs.

She murmurs to herself, "Boys, hopeless!"

Kimimaro opens his mouth to answer when Zabuza calls out, "We've rested long enough. Move out."

The three other ninja answer, "Yes, Master Zabuza." The four figures disappear from sight.

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	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: See chapter 1**

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_Three Days Later:_

The short pudgy businessman Gato sits in his grand mansion surrounded by swordsmen and archers. In front of him is Zabuza the Demon of the Mist. "So you want me to take out the bridge builder?" the missing nin grunts dangerously. He is leaning forward in a chair with his massive blade over his shoulder.

"That's right, Mr. Zabuza. I will of course pay you the agreed upon amount for it," Gato says. He puffs on an expensive cigar and his guards keep a careful eye on their guest.

Zabuza grins under his bandages, "Alright, I will kill this man for you, but if you do not pay me what you owe I will kill you myself."

"Of course, of course," the greasy businessman assures him. "Do you have any associates that I should know about?"

Zabuza answers, "No. I will return when the job is finished." He walks out. The mercenaries stay out of his way, a few of them with knocking knees.

Once he is out of sight, the doors are slammed shut. Gato laughs loudly, "Rogue ninjas are so trusting! They believe anything you tell them. Isn't it funny, boys?" The mercenaries laugh with their boss.

Outside the mansion, Zabuza disappears. He reappears an hour later at the hideout. A small cave behind a waterfall has shelves built into it with rough wooden chairs and tables inside. The two boys practice their sword katas in perfect unison. They face each other and their blades come within a centimeter of each other's skin at any given time. Rin sits at the table with a scroll.

She sends chakra into the blank paper to bring to light the current condition of Kimimaro's body. She looks at the blood and chakra network along with his bone structure. Her eyes carefully examine the lung diagrams for any sign of the cancer coming back. After an hour or two, she proclaims that they are both in perfect health. She slides the scroll back into her backpack when Zabuza reappears.

"How did it go?" she asks respectfully.

Zabuza rests his sword against a chair and collapses into the other one. "He says he will pay us, but I have news of other ninja being hired too. I am going to observe them. If they kill our target, we will kill them and take the head back to Gato."

Rin frowns darkly as she stuffs her backpack with more force. Zabuza ignores his resident medic while the boys answer, "Yes, Master Zabuza."

"Such good tools," Zabuza says proudly. "Your training is coming along well. I have never seen such natural potential for swordsmanship." The boys' faces light up. They stay that way despite him continuing harshly, "But don't let it get to your head! A cocky tool is a useless one." They continue their training in silence.

_The Next Day:_

Zabuza watches from a high tree perch with binoculars. "Well, well. If it isn't Kakashi the Sharingan. It looks like they managed to rummage up more money than Gato thought," he chuckles. "This is exciting." The Uchiha runt dodges the initial surprise attack from the Demon Brothers, mildly surprising Zabuza. A loud mouthed punk stood there helplessly with a pink haired fan girl. Who let these babies out of their nursery?

The Demon of the Mist watches with interest when the loud mouth, the one with the name that sounds like ramen, cuts his hand open to let the blood out. What an idiot. Effective method, but too showy and life-threatening. Zabuza scoffs under his breath, "Demon Brothers, that was sad. Truly. Kakashi, not bad. Perhaps I will let my boys take a swing or two at your cannon fodder before I kill the old man." He waits until Kakashi and his team has passed on, leaving the Demon Brothers unconscious. By the time he arrives at the scene, they are starting to wake up. They pull the kunai out that was pinning their connecting chain to the tree.

"Demon of the Mist," one brother says gruffly. "Is the bridge builder dead?"

"No," Zabuza replies casually. "Who hired you?"

"Gato," says the other brother. "Are you here to help?"

"Something like that," Zabuza grins. His blade is out and decapitates the older brother before the second can react. This is a demon indeed! The bandaged swordsman ducks under a slow punch from the remaining ninja and is sliced up the middle by the massive blade. Zabuza cleans his blade as he examines the mess he left. "This should pay the bills until I kill the bridge builder," he muses. "Not big fry, but their heads are still valuable."

_**The Next Day:**_

The young dark haired ninja holds his bunny tightly in the bushes. He spies on the passing ninja guarding their target. Haku cautiously and silently uncorks his water bottle. He makes a fluid outward hand gesture to draw out the water when the loud mouth in orange throws a kunai randomly in his direction. Haku dodge the blade, rolling into the surrounding shrubbery, but Mr. Fluffy Thumper is left behind. Haku is about to reach for the rabbit when Rin appears next to him, gripping his wrist, and putting a finger to her mouth. He watches helplessly as Kakashi of the Sharingan investigates, only to find a terrified rabbit with the kunai barely touching the top of its furry head.

The pink haired girl bashes the loud mouth in the head while shouting. Kimimaro watches from the branches on the opposite side of the pathway. He thinks, '_Are these really ninja?'_

Zabuza spins in a quick circle before launching his sword at Kakashi's head. The veteran ducks under it, pushing his wards to the ground. Zabuza leaps high in the air, flips, and lands feet first on the handle of his sword just after it impales a tree. Splinters fly in all directions. "You dodged. As expected of Kakashi of the Sharingan," Zabuza chuckles darkly. "It would seem this village was able to scrounge up more money than I was led to expect. Hand over the bridge builder and I'll let you walk away with your life."

Haku recovers Mr. Fluffy while the attention is on their master. Kimimaro waits for a signal, but Zabuza is too caught up in terrifying the Leaf Genin. Rin frowns as the battle begins.

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